163. Battle of the Black Forest (1)

“The cold in the middle is really nothing.”

Seeing the adjutant smirking on horseback, Marquis Baek smiled bitterly. Behind the Marquis at the forefront, hundreds of elite soldiers from no man’s land were following her. It wasn’t a force that included a lot of knights, but if there were three people who rolled and rolled in the no-man’s land, it was a force that could easily deal with at least one knight.

“Still, it’s amazing how it snows.”

Marquis looked up at the sky and murmured. It was constantly raining hail. Compared to the no-man’s-land, where it doesn’t rain or snow and shows the same appearance all year round, it felt like the weather changed dynamically.

When was the last time you left No Man’s Land?

Many years have passed since the king even set foot on the ground. In the meantime, I was busy with only repelling the constantly approaching monsters and going out of the wall to patrol the no-man’s land, but after defeating the Behemoth, the number of monsters reaching the wall decreased dramatically. The word hope, not suitable for that barren wasteland, was sprouting like a new sprout in the hearts of the soldiers.

‘… Until the knights are lost here.’

The Marquis’ expression hardened coldly. At that time, after much thought, he regretted that he had decided to support Prince 1. It is true that he was outraged by Leon Benning’s misdeeds and their rampage at Murat, but if he had known he would lose his comrades in such vain, he would have been better off remaining neutral.

“Sir Maxim and the raven knights are doing well, right?”

The adjutant’s voice brought the Marquis back to his senses. At the names of those who said they were fighting against Leon Benning, the Marquis’ heart was inclined again. Maxime Appart and Theodora Benning were benefactors of no-man’s-land. It was not clear whether Theodora Benning was on the same side as her father, but when Maxim Appart, who returned alive, stood under the first prince and was in conflict with Leon Benning, even the margrave could not help but come forward directly.

“… The no-man’s-land never forgets grace.”

As the Marquis muttered, the adjutant nodded. He was a blunt adjutant, but when he heard that he was heading to the capital, he was quite excited.

“We can’t turn a blind eye to the grace that defeated the Behemoth, the one who relieved the heaviest burden of the no-man’s land. Even if our comrades died in vain in a remote land even after defending the no-man’s-land.”

He didn’t want to lose more comrades, but the knights under his command urged the Marquis to advance even when he was hesitant. It wasn’t that they didn’t know their heart. The Marquis made up his mind to take on the wrath of his colleagues without hesitation.

“Since they have fallen, we have to go all the more for revenge, Marquis.”

The adjutant said in a firm voice.

“I believe that helping the benefactor of the no-man’s land and offering the blood of our enemies to the graves of knights is the greatest courtesy we can give to our fallen comrades.”

The Marquis made a face. Looking back, the eyes of the knights and soldiers who had listened to the adjutant’s words were filled with fighting spirit. It was a very intense heat that seemed to melt all the snow in midwinter at any moment. The adjutant nodded contentedly, then looked ahead again.

“… Even so, I am a little concerned.”

The adjutant and the Marquis squeezed their words between them and looked at the knight who had entered.

“Are you saying that there has been no contact from the capital yet?”

The knight nodded. The 1st prince and the Margrave always exchanged correspondence by means of a messenger or a crow. But even though they were getting closer and closer to the capital, the crows sent by the Margrave did not think of returning.

“Since I last sent you a message saying I’ll see you soon, it’s not strange that Her Highness doesn’t reply. However, you may need to be a little vigilant.”

The adjutant answered on behalf of the Marquis.

“Fortunately, Her Highness was in a situation where she couldn’t reply, or something went wrong with the crow. If that’s not the case, has Leon Benning already succeeded in seizing the capital?”

Silence fell for a moment at the adjutant’s murmur. Either way, I couldn’t defeat the soldiers and return to the no-man’s land until now.

“Does not matter. If Your Highness is in danger, we can save him. Even if Leon Benning took control of the capital, he would have to fight against them with all his might. Since when did we start worrying before we even battled anyone?”

The Marquis deliberately raised his voice and said. As if hit to the point, the knight who had been questioning the adjutant became a mute who had eaten honey and blushed. Certainly, as the battles in the no-man’s land became less intense, it seemed that his mindset was loosening. The adjutant gripped the reins tightly. Recalling myself at the time, when I battled with the demons every day.

“you’re right. No matter what happens, we just do our job. To fight, to kill the enemy.”

At the same time as the adjutant’s words were finished, the troops of the no man’s land reached the forest near the capital. The Marquis let go of the reins and stopped the horse at the entrance of the forest.

“… The Black Forest is still there.”

muttered the adjutant. The Marquis couldn’t help but agree with that. The forest, densely covered with tall coniferous trees, was already casting black shadows from the entrance, even though it was midday. The sea of trees in front of you shows a deep and fearful darkness that seems to lurk quietly without any veil. I didn’t even count the number of trees, but the forest became dark, covering each other’s shadows.

“You arrived faster than expected. I’m glad the road is fine.”

The Marquis listened intently. The noise of the forest was as soft as song, but it echoed eerily. The Marquis, who was well aware of the fact that the forest was rather dangerous when it was quiet, decided that it was okay to enter, then looked back and said, The soldiers and knights did not show signs of being tired. He didn’t seem to be particularly afraid of words.

“Keep going. Once you get out of the forest, it’s really easy to get to the royal road, everyone, do your best.”

It would have been okay if I hadn’t added words of consolation. Stimulated by the adjutant’s words, the soldiers were already burning with fighting spirit and enthusiasm at the fact that the royal capital was just a stone’s throw away.

“… It is said that they recovered the body, but it is an opportunity to know what kind of battle they fought with the enemy.”

The Marquis nodded to the adjutant tipping off. This is the place where the knights of the no man’s land fell. It was just a road to the royal road, so I couldn’t pass it by.

“Go in.”

The Margrave proclaimed that and rode his horse past the entrance of the Black Forest. The forest began to slowly suck the soldiers of the no-man’s land into its darkness, like a snake swallowing its prey.

“It’s a different feeling from what I’ve seen from the outside.”

The Marquis looked around and said that.

“It’s another world.”

At the words of the Marquis, the adjutant agreed. The adjutant’s eyes were keenly examining the surroundings. The other knights were also nervous about the sudden change in the environment, and the fighting spirit that seemed to melt away the cold of winter changed to a sharp bristle feeling.

“Since we always fight in an open area called the no-man’s land, it will be difficult to adapt easily if we fight in an environment surrounded by forests like this.”

At the adjutant’s words, the Marquis shrugged.

“You’re not saying you’re not confident right now, Adjutant.”

When the Marquis provoked, the adjutant burst out laughing. Caressing his rough chin with a growing beard, the adjutant changed the snarky smile into a smile full of ferocious fighting spirit.

“Please. Does that mean I’m having a hard time adjusting? I said this because I was worried that if a battle took place here, the guys following me would not be able to fight properly.”

“If you start feeling old, you should consider retiring, Adjutant. It would be better if you give me the seat.”

At this point, the adjutant frowned as he slapped the back of the head.

“Besides you, there are many other people who can serve as adjutants, so even if I retire, I won’t be entrusting you with the aide-de-camp.”

Small laughter erupted from everywhere. The tension that seemed like I had to draw a knife right away was relieved. Not being nervous was also a problem, but if the body and mind become stiff from excessive tension, it is difficult to cope flexibly in battle. The knights and soldiers of the no-man’s-land, who were savvy in battle, knew that fact, so they tried to relieve tension by throwing a joke.

‘… Certainly, it feels different.’

It would be best if there was no battle, but what was best in the current situation was not up to them. The Marquis looked at the deepening forest and wished in his heart that the worst would not happen.

How many hours had it been going like that? Most of the sunlight, which gave clues to the time, was blocked, so I could only tell that the shadows were getting longer. Except for the occasional pause to rest the weary horse, and then set off again, I kept going, and still the woods showed no signs of ending.

Bassrock. Horses hooves picked up fallen twigs and fallen leaves on the ground. Marquis Baek suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu and looked around. I couldn’t hear the sound of flying animals that I had been hearing a little bit before. The vacant place was filled with the sound of horses purring and galloping and stomping and stepping on snow.

‘That’s not a good sign.’

Also, there wasn’t even a proper road, but the Marquis and the Knights of No Man’s Land were driving their horses as if they were being guided somewhere. As if the Marquis wasn’t the only one who felt that feeling, the adjutant and several knights with good skills frowned.

“I don’t feel well, Marquis. Maybe we should prepare for battle.”

At the words of the adjutant, the Marquis nodded. The palm of my hand stroked the tip of the hilt, which I had never properly held since the dispatch. The Marquis looked back.

“First of all, move on. Everyone should be more nervous from now on.”

“Yes, I understand!”

For some reason, the answer was full of spirit, but the Marquis couldn’t carelessly smile. He just nodded his head with a firm expression and headed forward again.

“… ! Marquis!”

The adjutant’s shrill voice. Marquis Baek blinked with his eyes wide open, stunned by the scenery that appeared in front of him a moment later.

“This… .”

That was a trace. It was also a sign of a very intense battle. The Marquis paused his advance, stood on his horse, and looked around. Snow piled up on top of the unnaturally fallen tree. The space where the marshal’s horse was now stepping into was as if an empty lot had appeared out of nowhere.

“This is it.”

The Marquis could intuit. A battle took place here, and the knights of the no-man’s land were killed. The blood they shed was covered in the falling snow, but the completely devastated surroundings told us what kind of battle had unfolded. However, there was only one conclusion that the margrave could draw after carefully examining the traces of the battle.

“… How could this be?”

It is true that a fierce battle took place, but the tense battle did not last long. Looking at the traces of destruction and the cut edges of the trees, it was clear that the knights were almost one-sided as the battle dragged on. The adjutant, who had cast a dark shadow on his face, added a comment from the side.

“It doesn’t seem like it bumped into a lot of people either. If you look at the traces of destruction and the faint traces of swords on the trees, they are all consistent. It sounds like you fought alone, not with more than two people… .”

The Marquis’ face contorted.

“The article sent by us is a total… .”

“There were seven of us.”

The wind blew. Knights who defended the no-man’s land and died without being able to return to their hometowns. The Marquis closed his eyes for a moment and thought of them. I recalled the seven comrades in my heart. Every name, every face, there was nothing that didn’t come to mind.

“… As for your revenge, let me accomplish it myself.”

The Marquis muttered. At the same time, on the other side of the forest, a number of people were felt. The knights gradually raised their fighting spirit. The wind in the forest was howling low.

“I can hear you crying.”

The Marquis muttered. I looked up at the sky. The ceiling of branches and leaves was not visible. The sky of the battlefield that had become an empty field was wide open. The hail that fell from the sky, once again enveloped in gray clouds, turned into a violent torrential snowfall.

“To my ears, the sound of this wind sounds like the howling cries of our fallen comrades here.”

The Marquis looked at the warriors in the no-man’s-land behind them.

“Gentlemen, what do you guys hear about this?”

At the Marquis’ question, a knight raised his voice and shouted as if venting anger.

“I can hear the cries of a knight in bondage.”

As if the floodgates of the dam had been opened, the voices of the knights poured out.

“I hear my colleagues crying out for me to do what I couldn’t do.”

“I hear a colleague’s earnest request to avenge him.”

“I hear voices calling for a cause.”

“I hear the cries to show what the Knights of No Land are like!”

The Marquis nodded. Like an already heated furnace, the knights’ fighting spirit was piercing the sky. Assimilated to that will, the course horses of the no-man’s land roared ferociously, raising their front hooves and scratching the ground.

“Yes, then. We should grant their last wishes.”

The Marquis turned his back again. Through the forest, I could see a shield with the pattern of Leon Benning and the pattern of the royal family. The Marquis exhaled a long, thin breath. A thin layer of white steam leaked out between her lips. Then, taking a deep breath, facing the enemy with eyes wide open, he shouted in a voice that would terrify the black forest.

“All forces!! Ready for battle!!!”

There was no shout. For those who have gone through thousands of battles, shouts of encouragement were unnecessary. It was replaced by the sound of a gunpowder that occurred in perfect order as he picked up his weapon.

Cheekyung-!!

The Marquis drew his sword for the last time. The Margrave’s Aura Blade was already swaying on the blade along with the blizzard.

“we are! We will avenge our fallen comrades today!”

The knights of Leon Benning standing opposite drew their swords expressionlessly. The eyes of the knights, devoid of reason and emotion, glowed coolly and met the eyes of the knights of the Marquis who were burning with vengeance.

“charge.”

Benning’s knight in the lead chanted.

“Advance!!”

The marquee’s feverish voice rang out.

And,

Thus, the battle for the fate of the kingdom began.